Matthew Perry Update: Multiple Arrests Made In Connection With Death Investigation

Law enforcement said Thursday morning that they charged multiple people in connection with the accidental overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. Perry, 54, was found face down in the pool at his Pacific Palisades home on Oct. 28, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed his death, in part, to the acute effects of ketamine. Authorities in Southern California arrested at least one person early Thursday. Later in the day, federal prosecutors will reportedly unseal an indictment that details the allegations against that individual. The indictment will also name others.

Ketamine has been a popular party drug for decades. In recent years, it has shown potential as an alternative treatment for depression. A growing number of clinics offer it as an infusion or injection for a wide variety of mental health problems. Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety. However, his last session took place more than a week prior to his death.

The levels of ketamine in Matthew Perry’s body were high, equivalent to the amount used for general anesthesia during surgery. The coroner ultimately ruled his death an accident, citing other factors outside of the ketamine in his system. Contributing factors also included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a synthetic opioid used to treat opioid addiction.

Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends, had been open about his struggles with substance abuse. He detailed his struggles in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.” At the time of his death, he had been clean for over a year and a half. Perry’s death is not the first time that law enforcement has investigated drug-related celebrity deaths. Michael Jackson’s private physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He provided the singer with a fatal dose of powerful drugs in 2009. In 2022, a California court sentenced a drug dealer to 17.5 years in prison for his involvement in Mac Miller‘s death. Law enforcement have not yet revealed the arrested man’s name, nor have they set a court date.